* * * *
Good news awaited us at home. Louis had sent a letter, postponing his visit until the coming spring due to “war troubles.”
The others breathed a sigh of relief to have the ax stayed. My sigh alone was of anticipation and cunning. This time I would be ready for Louis, with Jezebel’s help.
* * * *
Every two weeks, Jezebel sent me a letter, saying she had recovered, that I and a companion of my choosing were welcome to visit at our leisure. Quentin and I would wait for it, grabbing it out of the courier’s hands in our eagerness. Minutes later, we would be in the carriage, urging the driver to go faster.
Despite my desire, I remained in control and cautious, always letting Quentin have first taste. The wait was short enough, as he spent himself utterly within mere minutes.
“I cannot last,” he said regretfully, as we headed home from Jezebel’s one evening. “I have no control, as I have with other women. She seems to suck my life force out along with my semen.”
“Perhaps you shouldn’t lay her, then,” I retorted. “I never have and I always feel stronger after drinking her blood. I am more powerful by far than I used to be.”
“I am as well,” Quentin admitted. “I’m just dismayed I’ve not found a way to draw out the pleasure. Regular blood seems almost tasteless now.”
Save Anna’s, I agreed with that. That led me to make a huge mistake, when I asked Uther that spring if he knew of any goblins in the area besides her.
“You fool,” he said scathingly. “I told you to stay away from her.”
“I have things well in hand,” I said calmly. “Jezebel wanted the pleasure of my bite. She is a sensitive one, as Quentin calls it. I’ve given her nothing more than I’ve given the other women who sell their blood to me.”
“She has some other motive in mind,” Uther warned. “Do not let down your guard.”
“We shall see,” I said dismissively. “Now tell me of other goblins.”
“There are none who would consent to be donors,” Uther said flatly. “They mostly keep to themselves. None I know of ever willingly gave up their blood, not to anyone.”
“Then never mind, I’ll just consider myself lucky. Come, we’ve much to prepare. Louis arrives tomorrow.”
* * * *
Louis was just the same, a regal prince overdressed and pompous. Yet he was diminished in my eyes. I knew now I was stronger than he was, even if he did not sense it.
That was small comfort. For as soon as he arrived, it was plain what his goal was: Anna. He brought her six new dresses as “a trifling present,” and a jeweled necklace of emerald and rubies, the largest of which was easily twelve carats. Anna accepted these graciously, yet very uncomfortably. I was raging in fury, or course, but could not protest straightforward gifts. Worse, Anna was obligated to wear his necklace and dresses for the duration of his visit, and he had brought clothes to match hers, so they looked a couple at all the performances we attended.
Still, this was not enough cause for me to confront him, according to Quentin. I gritted my teeth and waited for Louis to cross the line.
On that last night of his visit, it finally happened.
“Include me in your oath,” he said suddenly, as he sat with me before my fire, Anna beside us. “I will give you double your territory, if you agree.”
I’d been waiting for this. “No,” I said forcefully, leaping to my feet. “You have no right to ask and not a chance in hell of my agreeing. Drop the matter.”
“I will not,” he said angrily, standing to face me. “I made my intentions known with my gifts. A good host would have offered me what I wanted right then, and not made me ask myself.”
“Get out, Louis,” I growled, “It’s your life if you ever set eyes on her again.”
“I shall leave,” he said maliciously, then looked past me. “When next I visit you, Anna, you’ll be in black. Be comforted, as you’ll not have to wear that color long—”
I punched him with everything I had. He flew through the air to smash into the wall, going through it into the next room, the tile floor cracking under his weight. He tried to get to his feet, but I was there instantly, kicking him in the side as I cursed him.
Danial was struggling with the vampire guards, his greater strength matched by their numbers. Quentin was fighting alongside him, his greater strength also in evidence. Louis’s demon appeared, but Rip was there to meet him, keeping him from helping his master.
Louis scrambled away from me, and held up his right hand. “Stop, Devlin. It’s your life if you do not stop.”
“I will not stop!” I shouted, drawing a dagger. “It is you who will stop. Stop harassing my woman, stop coming into my territory uninvited, stop acting as though you are my better. I do not want your title, Louis! I want to be left alone, to run my own small piece of the world, to be as happy as I am able. I tell you now, you come here ever again uninvited, and I will hang you kicking and screaming from my front gate to roast in the sun’s gentle morning rays.”
Louis’s eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth to speak. I promptly cut off his thumb and forefinger, his screech of pain reverberating off the walls.
Everyone froze around us, watching us.
“Your oath now, that you will never enter my territory again uninvited,” I hissed. “Now, Louis. Or my small trophy will be exchanged for one I can mount on my wall.”
“Yes,” Louis stammered. “Yes, I’ll stay out of Fontainebleau.”
“Leave,” I said, giving him a clear path to the door. “Before I change my mind about joining the ranks of the elite.”
Louis got to his feet, and strode out as regally as he could muster, his demon and vampires following him. Levi followed after, as we had planned.
“They are sure to be disciplined,” Danial said absently. “I didn’t think we could best them, not just the three of us.”
“We’ve been preparing,” Quentin said proudly. “Devlin and I have been drinking goblin blood, which imparts great strength.”
Danial turned slowly to face me. “So that is what you have been doing these months. I’d noticed it took you longer than usual to return from your trips with Quentin.”
“You miss nothing, do you, Danial?” Quentin said pleasantly. “Except this time the fuck of an eternity. Alas for you.”
“Jezebel is divine, is she?” Danial said. “You’re sure it’s not just smoke and mirrors, Dev?”
“You could have joined me instead,” I said spitefully to Danial. “Quentin made good use of what you declined.”
“He is welcome to it,” Danial said disdainfully.
“Where is Anna?” Uther said suddenly.
I looked around in panic. “She was right here.”
Without a word, we began searching. I finally found her in our bedroom undressing.
“She is here!” I called loudly out the door to the others. Then I turned to face her. “Why did you just leave like that?”
“I did not want to hear any talk of Jezebel,” Anna said stiffly. “Especially about her being the best lay in town.”
I embraced her. “She’s given me blood, dearest, nothing more. She lies with Quentin, but not me.”
“There is lust in your voice,” she said accusingly. “Lust for her.”
“Her blood tastes very good,” I admitted, staying my temper with difficulty. “It is not as good as yours, Love.”
“I don’t care how good her blood is!” Anna screeched. “I don’t want you to see her ever again, do you understand?”
“You are being unreasonable,” I grated, incredulous that she was so angry. “Her blood gave us enough power to back off Louis. I need her, Anna.”
“More than you need me?” she said tearfully.
“Stop with your melodrama!” I bellowed. “Everything I have done I have done for you! And now, this very night I’ve achieved safety for us, you attack me!”
I turned from her. “I’m going out. Don’t wait up.”
&nbs
p; “Going out to kill?” Anna said scathingly. “Go ahead, what should a few more human lives matter?”
“They don’t,” I said honestly, liking the revulsion and shock that spread across her face. “They never did, Love. You alone matter to me.”
I walked out past Levi, who dropped his eyes, and into the garden. Danial was there, looking at the stars.
“She thinks you have grown a taste for death,” he said softly. “She doesn’t know you always had one.”
“I have not,” I grumbled. “You know what it is, to be what we are. Your perspective shifts.” I touched a sapling Anna and I had planted on our oathing anniversary. “Anna will see this tree grow to maturity, if she is lucky. You and I will see it die, and its seeds grow to trees themselves and mature and die.”
“If we are lucky,” Danial said grimly. “Your standoff with Louis may backfire. He has every reason to want revenge.”
“Quentin is sending Samuel a letter tonight via Rip, to tell him what Louis did. He clearly crossed a line. Samuel will tell Louis to back down; his position on the sanctity of Oathed Ones is well documented.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Danial said tiredly. “You had to do what you did to protect her. I would have done the same.”
That was something like a compliment. I had never heard Danial speak of me this way. There would never be a better time.
“I’ve never talked of our past,” I began. “Don’t you think it is time we did?”
“Don’t, Dev,” Danial said flatly. “Not tonight. I need to go to Justine.”
He began walking, and I hurried after him, grabbing his arm.
“Justine can wait, Danial. We need to—”
“No,” Danial said, shaking me off. “I told her I might not make it, that she might never see me again. I booked her passage and told her to leave if she didn’t hear from me by dawn. I have just enough time to make it to her home if I hurry.”
I nodded and let him go. He ran quickly to the edge of the garden and vaulted the fence.
Quentin came out, prideful. “We are set, Devlin. Samuel has read the letter, and he sides with us. He said to tell you that you acted rightly, that Louis will be disciplined.”
Relief crashed into me. “That is news worth celebrating.”
“There is also better news,” Quentin said, smiling widely. “Jezebel sends word she is recovered, that she will welcome us any time past the equinox.”
“That is in three days. Send her word we will be there.”
* * * *
That night, as I never had before, I dreamed of Jezebel. She was before her fire, beckoning to me. Instead of making her come to me dressed, I brought her into my arms naked. Incensed by her eager cries, I drank her down as my hands roamed her body. When she opened my pants, letting my organ spring free, I barely noticed. But when she straddled me, my jaws went lax, my mind overwhelmed.
The pleasure was pain it was so intense. Every motion of her body on mine brought a howl from my throat and hers. When I sunk my fangs in again I came, my climax white-hot lava engulfing us both.
I sat bolt upright in bed, panting. My skin was covered in sweat. Semen covered my lower body.
I slowly got up and went to the washbasin, casting a careful look at Anna. She seemed to be asleep. I could not hear her heartbeat in the thunderous noise of mine.
I washed my skin clean, and went back to bed. As I got in, Anna woke.
“What is it?”
“Nothing,” I said, turning from her, my mind busy. “Go back to sleep.”
Chapter Fifteen
Abruptly, my newly peaceful world exploded like a powder keg. When I rose that next evening, a letter awaited me from Jezebel. The butler brought it to me as soon as I’d woken.
This could not be more news she was well enough to see me. I took it into my study, leaving Anna sleeping. Just as I sat down, Quentin came in yawning.
I hid it hastily. “Good night.”
“Danial is not here,” he said. “I knocked on his door and there was no reply. When I went in the bed had not been slept in.”
“He is with his lover, Justine,” I said. “What is the schedule like tonight?”
“Nothing,” Quentin said happily. “We left tonight open in case there was trouble with Louis.”
“Where is Rip?”
“In the cellar, eating someone.”
I grimaced. “When he is done, can you have him come to me?”
Quentin nodded. “Of course. If you need me, I’ll be with Levi. He wants to set up some sort of will for him and Eva. I don’t know why he’s waited this long—”
“Fine,” I interrupted. “I’ve some personal matters I need to attend to.”
Quentin looked at me curiously. “Such as?”
“Anna is upset by what’s happened,” I lied. “I’m going to have Rip teleport me to several jewelers to pick her out some present.”
Quentin nodded. “That’s to be expected, poor girl. Charge whatever it is to the store, and have them bill us. Good luck.”
As soon as he left, I took the letter out and opened it. There were only seven words. Come to me. I’m in danger.
Rip appeared. “Quentin said you wanted me?”
“Yes. Do you know the Lady Jezebel’s house?”
“Of course.”
“Can you take me there?”
“Outside the gates,” he said. “She has spells in place to keep demons away. She’s made a good many enemies.”
“Take me there now.”
We were abruptly standing ten feet before the gate.
“Wait here,” I said.
“Of course,” he leered. “Take your time, master.”
I walked to the gates and they opened before me. Two floating balls of light came toward me, taking up position on either side. Thus escorted, I walked up the long drive to her mansion door. Jezebel was there, waiting.
“And where is Quentin?” she said demurely. “Have you finally come alone?”
I pushed past her, shutting the door and locking it. “You said you were in danger. From who?”
“A goblin warrior,” she said with complete seriousness. “He will attack tonight.”
There was a crash upstairs suddenly.
Jezebel cast fearful eyes upwards. “He’s here.”
“Stay here,” I said, pushing her into the closet. “Rip is near the gate. Go to him and teleport, if he gets past me.”
I ran upstairs, drawing my revolver and hoping like hell it would be of use. I had almost never fired the 5-shot Francotte Pinfire, except to test it at the time of purchase. With my talons, fangs and strength, a firearm was usually unnecessary overkill. I had only ever worn the gun for show. But I needed every advantage tonight.
Just as I crested the stairs, a hunched figure trotted toward me. It was loathsome with warts and bulky muscle, its dress like that of a gladiator from olden times, a short sword, and an axe hanging from its belt. It resembled a huge toad, its squat stature not higher than my waist.
“Where is she?” it croaked.
I shot it at point blank range. The bullet hit it, knocking it back a step, but it didn’t go down. I emptied the gun, the smoke engulfing me, but the goblin warrior didn’t fall.
It shook itself, then lumbered up to me. “Leave, vampire, before you get your head cut off.”
Inspired, I drew my sword and ran it through. It let out a screech and pushed into me, toppling me backward down the stairs. I landed in a pile at the foot, my ankle badly sprained.
“Stupid vampire,” the thing said, pulling out the sword, and tossing it aside. It started down the stairs toward me.
I struggled to get to my feet. The goblin was small but swift. My ankle was healing, but not fast enough.
“This was none of your concern,” the goblin croaked. “But I don’t mind another trophy.” It unstrapped its ax, taking firm hold of it with both hands.
I got to my feet, backing away.
“Come here,” the thing said,
its smile a twisted parody.
“No,” I said, desperately considering my options.
Before I could think of anything, the monster attacked. It missed with its first swing, but the second laid open my forearm, gashing it. It circled, looking for an opening.
I rushed it, knocking it over backwards and getting the axe in my stomach for my trouble. The pain was horrible. I opened my mouth to scream.
The goblin tried to heave itself up with one arm. Instead, it pushed its forearm into my fangs.
I bit down hard, and the thing let out a shriek. It dropped its hold on the axe, trying to get me off its arm. I gripped it around the waist, holding on for dear life.
It took a hitching breath and then planted its rocky fist between my eyes. I flew off it to land on my back, all the breath knocked out of me along with the axe.
I was bleeding badly, but the wounds were closing. I hurriedly got to my feet, but the goblin wasn’t attacking, it was trying to stop the bleeding on its forearm, putting pressure on with its other hand.
I launched myself at it, knocking it down again, this time going for its neck. The thing pulled its neck in like a turtle, letting out a screech, trying to fend me off with one arm and draw its knife with the other. I bit quickly into its other arm, and the thing let out another screech, this one of terror.
I shook my head like a dog, trying to open up as much skin as I could. The goblin began squealing terribly, rocking from side to side as it tried to dislodge me.
I was knocked loose by its struggles, but I’d found its weakness. I bit into the nearest flesh, its face, and the thing found some backbone, baring its own small fangs and trying to bite me back. As it moved its neck back out of its armor to reach me, I seized the opportunity.
I turned and sank my fangs deeply into its neck. It howled and scrabbled, writhing all over. I tried to drink, but felt a sudden terrible tearing pain in my chest.
I ripped backwards out of his neck, screaming.
The goblin gurgled, twitched, and went limp beneath me. I looked down into its glazing eyes, realizing in my scream I’d ripped out its throat.
“Hold still,” said a worried voice.
I looked over to see Jezebel kneeling beside me. She carefully rolled me onto my side, making me cry out again in pain. The goblin had driven his short sword into the hilt, and its tip was poking out of my chest. She slipped it out of me with a deft pull, making me shriek again. Slowly, the wound began closing.
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